Kale Chips

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

I have read about kale chips for awhile but the concept didn't click with me. I  bought kale a few days ago and wanted a new recipe. So I did kale chips. Outstanding! This will be often repeated.

And they couldn't be easier. I washed a bunch of kale and tore them into 3-4" pieces and put them into a deep bowl. I had about 8 cups of torn pieces.

In a small bowl, I blended about 3 T olive oil, 1 T cider vinegar, sea salt and pepper and poured them over the kale pieces. Using my hands, I tossed and tossed and tossed the kale so that each piece was well coated.

Using 2 cookie sheets lined with Silpat baking sheets (or aluminum foil), I spread out the kale pieces, and put them into a 350 degree F oven. Within 5 minutes, the kale began wilting and after 20 minutes, the edges were turning brown. They came out of the oven crisp and oh, so tasty! 

These are great warm or at room temperature. What a treat.

Ginger Snaps or Molasses Cookies

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner


We grew up with these cookies. On each camping trip with Aunt Dottie, she brought these cookies. After not making them for years, I made a batch a few months ago and then again this weekend. They are really tasty and very easy to make.  Dottie called them molasses cookies but they are the same as a ginger snap.  I updated them with a couple of chunks of crystallized ginger in each cookie.

Dottie's recipe uses shortening. Butter can be used instead but it will make them a little less puffy and a little browner.  These are wonderful with butter, too.

Cream in a stand mixer:
3/4 c shortening
1 c sugar

Add in:
1/4 c molasses
1 egg

Gradually add in:
2 c flour
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t salt

Mix until the dough just begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Roll into 1" balls and add in ginger chunks, if desired. Roll the balls into a sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes until the tops of the cookies slightly crack and just begin to brown.  This makes 18 cookies.

Cottage Cheese (Ricotta) Cake

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

My friend Sherry mentioned a family cheesecake recipe that has passed down through several generations. I love family recipes so I asked her for it. And I'm so glad I did--what a great recipe.

A few generations ago, Sherry's grandmother made this cheesecake with dry cottage cheese which was pressed through a sieve. Now it is made with ricotta. There is a secret ingredient to this recipe: crushed pineapple. No, this is not a pineapple cheesecake. The pineapple is so subtle that if you don't know it is there, you can't identify the unique flavors. The pineapple adds sweetness and texture.

This is a simple recipe and the refrigerated cheesecake gets better each day (if it lasts that long!).

For the crust and crumb topping:

1 lb graham crackers, crushed
1 stick melted butter
1/4 c sugar

Blend these together with a fork. Reserve 1/4 c of the crumbs. Press the crumbs into 2  9-inch pie plates or 1 9x13 baking pan.

For the filling:

Mix together:
2 lbs ricotta cheese
4 eggs
1 c sugar
8 oz evaporated milk
1 c drained crushed pineapple (in heavy syrup)

Pour the filling into the pie plates or pan.  Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on the top. Drain a small bottle of maraschino cherries and place the cherries on the cheesecake.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until the center jiggles but is not firm. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit & Nuts

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

I start most days with oatmeal in some fashion: slow cooked (old fashioned only), muesli, or granola (the last 2 homemade, of course). Today I tried something new and it will now be added to my oatmeal menu: baked oatmeal.

This is simple to do: it's just milk, oatmeal and fruit baked for 30 minutes. It is thick and creamy and leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave.

Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes:
3 1/2 c milk
1/2 c sweetener of choice such as brown sugar, honey or maple sypup

Lightly oil a casserole dish and to it add:
The milk and sugar mixture
1 1/2 c whole oats
Dash of salt
2 t vanilla
2 t cinnamon
1/2 c dried fruit such as raisins, cherries or cranberries
1/2 c chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans or almonds
1 apple or pear, peeled and cored and cut into bite size pieces

Bake the mixture, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir and serve. The oatmeal will still have some liquid to it but that will be absorbed as it cools.  Really tasty!

Spaetzle

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Our German friends, the Clermonts, have introduced to us real spaetzle and we've come to love it. Thanks to a spaetzle press that they gave us for Christmas, I see lots of Clermont-style spaetzle in our future! My chicken paprikash will be perfect on spaetzle.

This is their recipe:

3 3/4 c flour
5 eggs
Dash of salt
Water as needed

Mix by hand with a wooden spoon in a large mixing  bowl the flour, eggs and salt with a little water. Add water slowly, so that it becomes a smooth, sticky dough. This dough should be beaten by hand for quite a while, until big air bubbles appear. The dough should be smooth, not too liquid and not too tough. Then let it rest for a while in the refrigerator, at least 1-2 hours. 

Heat a large pot with water. When it comes to a boil, place the spaetzle press on top of the pan, spoon in some of the dough and slide the press back and forth across the blade of the press. The dough will fall into the boiling water. Quickly, repeat this so that all of the dough is processed into the water within 1-2 minutes.

When the tiny spaetzle rise to the surface of the water, they are done. Pour into a colander. Return the spaetzle to the pot and toss with 1-2 T of olive oil.

Macaroni & Cheese

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Tonight, I announced that I was making a frittata for dinner but while on my nightly snowshoe, I had a craving for mac and cheese. When I announced that dinner was ready, Marty was quite surprised to find macaroni and cheese.

I created a version similar to that of Zingerman's Road House in Ann Arbor, voted one of the nation's best.  I have a couple of versions of mac and cheese that I like, one baked and one stove top. This is the stove top version--very creamy--and uses a seasoned cast iron skillet to finish off the pasta and cheese sauce. This one is hard to beat for taste and speed. You can have the sauce made while the macaroni cooks and it takes 4-5 minutes to blend them. Easy and tasty.

To a large pot of boiling water, add:
2 T salt
1 pound macaroni

Cook until al dente and drain the pasta.

While the macaroni is cooking, in a saucepan, saute:
1 small onion, chopped,
2 T butter
2 bay leaves

When the onions are soft, 3-4 minutes, remove the bay leaves and add:
1/4 c flour

Stir the flour into the butter for several minutes until the flour is golden.

Slowly add:
1 3/4 c milk

Stir until the mixture is creamy and begins to bubble.  Then add:
1/4 c sour cream

Stir until the sour cream is completely mixed in and it begins to bubble. Then add:
2 c grated cheddar--I used 1/2 yellow and 1/2 white cheddar
1 t dijon mustard
1 t salt
pepper to taste

Blend the sauce until all of the cheese is melted and simmer for 4-5 min.

In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 T olive oil until it just begins to smoke. Add the sauce and stir quickly. Then fold in the macaroni and stir for 3-4 minutes until all of the macaroni is coated with cheese sauce and the sauce pulls away from the side of the skillet. Serve hot.

With a salad and some hot bread, this is a perfect dinner on a cold winter night.

Egg Nog

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner


After making this drink, I wonder why it is considered a holiday drink. It's too good to be enjoyed just once or twice a year. We made this drink for Christmas Day and what a treat it was.

Egg nogs are basically an egg custard drink. While there are recipes for uncooked egg nogs using pasteurized eggs, this cooked version is simple and safe.

For this egg nog, you'll need:
6 eggs separated and at room temperature
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c heavy cream
6 c whole milk
5 oz bourbon
1 1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg

Beat the yolks in a stand mixer until they are light in color. Gradually add sugar reserving 1 1/2 T. In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream and 1 t of nutmeg and bring just to a boil using medium heat, stirring often.

Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 c of hot milk to eggs and stir. Add another 1/2 c and stir. Add another 1/2 c and stir. This will temper the eggs by slowly add the milk so that the eggs don't curdle. Add the remaining milk to the eggs, blend. Pour the mixture back in the pot and heat slowly until bubbles just begin to form along the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat. Chill. About an hour later, add the bourbon, stir and continue to chill.

Wash and dry the mixing bowl and beat the egg white to soft peaks and gradually add remaining sugar and beat until there are stiff peaks. Whisk the egg whites until the chilled mixture. Chill at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining nutmeg on the eggnog when it is poured into glasses.

Tasty!

Hot Buttered Rum Mix

By Perry Washburn

This is a classic in our house; the kids ask for it every holiday season. The kids get this sans rum. The adults get their choice. This came from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (1981). If you don't own one, or a Joy of Cooking cookbook, I know what you should be asking Santa for...

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp ground nutmeg (a nutmeg grinder makes a great gift!)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
Rum
Boiling water

In a small mixer bowl beat together softened butter or margarine, brown sugar, powdered sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon until well combined. Beat in the softened ice cream. Turn mixture into a freezer container. Seal and freeze; mixture will not freeze solid.

To serve, spoon about 1/3 cup of the ice cream into a mug, add 1/2 cup boiling water, and a jigger of rum if desired. Stir well.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner 

Perry and I have both been in the kitchen with squash soups, his using buttercup and mine using butternut. In the fall, squash soups are popular as these hearty winter vegetables hold up to a myriad of flavors.

I wanted a savory, curry soup. Many of the squash soup recipes call for cubing the uncooked squash and then simmering in stock. Since I like the sweet flavor that roasting brings to vegetables, I roasted the butternut squash first.  I pierced two medium size butternut squash and roasted on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until a knife could pierce the squash and come out easily. Then I cut them in half and let them cool.

While they were cooking, I sauteed:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced, in
3 T olive oil

As the vegetables softened, I added 2 t of curry powder and stirred for a minute (the fragrance that comes from the pan is amazing!).  To this pan, I added 1 cup of water and brought to a simmer.

I scooped out the cooked squash and pureed in a food processor. To the squash, I added the water/garlic/curry/water along with 2 1/2 c of water and 3 t of chicken base (Penzey's).  Puree until smooth adding more water, if desired, for a thinner soup

Back to the pot went the puree with some salt and pepper and it simmered on low heat for 15 minutes. The soup was served with a dollop of sour cream. Wow!

Buttercup Squash Soup

By Perry Washburn

Carolyn is in a veggie phase, which means we have interesting leftovers. As the king of leftover repurposing, this gives me some fun raw materials.

As I was simmering giblets while smoking a chicken, I came upon a couple of cups of leftover buttercup squash. I remembered a small bag of leftover bacon bits, perhaps a cup. A run to the store for a head of fennel, and I had a plan!

2 Tbs butter
1 whole head of fennel, stems/leafy parts and all, chopped
2-4 cups of stock
2 cups buttercup squash
1 cup bacon bits

Saute the chopped fennel in the butter for 10 minutes, until well wilted. Add the squash, the bacon bits and about half the stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Pour this into a blender and puree. Add more hot stock if it's too thick.

With the flavors of the fennel, stock, squash and bacon, this needed no other spices. A great first course with our smoked chicken!

Updated and Fresh Eggplant Parmesan

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner


Wow! This is really good. I have an abundance of eggplant in the garden--the long, thin variety--along with tomatoes, basil, green peppers, and onions. So I picked all of them tonight and created this spectacular version of eggplant parmesan. Which is really eggplant, parmesan and mozzarella with tomato sauce.

This dish typically has eggplant slices dipped in egg and bread crumbs and then sauteed before baking with tomato sauce and the cheeses.  But I skipped the bread crumbs and eggs and this dish is so good, I'll never bread the eggplant again!

Slice into 1/2 thick pieces, 1 large eggplant or 5-6 long, thin eggplant. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill. I used my cast iron grill pan (a Christmas present long ago from Perry).

I then made a fresh tomato sauce by sauteing onions, green peppers and garlic in olive oil until they began to soften.  Use 2 cups prepared sauce if not making fresh sauce.

In a saucepan, saute until the vegetables begin to soften:
3 T oil
1 medium onion, chopped,
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced

Add and simmer about 15 minutes until it began to thicken:
3 c fresh,  chopped tomatoes
3T fresh basil
2 T fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste

For the final preparation:
3/4 c fresh parmesan
3/4 c sliced or grated mozzarella

In a medium sized  oiled baking pan add 1/2 c of the sauce, layered with the 1/2 the eggplant, topped with enough freshly grated parmesan to cover the eggplant, then topped with thin slices of fresh mozzarella and 1/2 of the remaining sauce. Then I did this same layer again--sauce, eggplant, cheeses--and again ending with the tomato sauce.

Into a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until it was bubbly and beginning to brown. There won't be any leftovers!

Yes, I Can!

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Canning is in again. The combination of the economy and the desire for quality food has brought canning back. Not that it ever left in my kitchen. My Mom canned, my Grandmas canned, and so I can.

Canning is easy! All you need are some canning jars, lids and jar rings, a jar lifter, a big pot and some fresh veggies.

So far this week, I've canned:

Dilled Green Tomatoes--3 1/3 c each of vinegar and water, 1/4 c salt brought to a simmer. In hot jars (about 10 minutes simmering in the canner), I added a garlic clove, head of dill, dash of hot paprika and then packed in green tomatoes. I covered them with the hot liquid, wiped off the rim of the jars, topped with a hot lid and rim (brought to a simmer in a pan of water), put the jars in the canning pot and boiled for 10 minutes. A friend gave me a jar of these last summer so this year, I had to do my own. Very tasty.This makes 6 pints.

Green Tomato Chutney--I brought to a simmer about 6 large green tomatoes (about 5 lbs), 1 lb. of green apples, 2 large onions--all chopped--with 1 lb of sugar, 1 1/2 c vinegar, 1/4 c each of yellow raisins and dried cranberries, 1 T cinnamon, 2 t mustard seeds, and 2 t pepper corns.  I simmered until thick, about 1 hour, then put in hot pint jars and boiled/canned for 20 minutes. This makes 4 pint jars.

Zucchini Relish--This stuff is great served with kielbasa, pork or hot dogs or as a side dish.  Combine 2 c chopped zucchini, 1 c chopped onion, 1/2 c chopped green pepper, 1/4 c red pepper with 2 T salt and cover with cold water and let stand for several hours. Drain, rinse, drain, rinse. Combine 1 1/2 c sugar, 2 teaspoons celery seed, 1 t mustard seed and 1 c cider vinegar and bring to a simmer. Then add the drained veggies and simmer 10 minutes. Pack into hot jars and can for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. This makes about 5-6 1/2 pints.

Tomatoes--The garden is producing lots of tomatoes from the 90 plants I have in the garden. We are canning tomatoes every 2-3 nights. Tonight I canned 5 quarts which makes 26 total quarts so far. These are so easy and with tomatoes in season right now, everyone should be canning! Last fall, we canned 65 quarts. We use them all year in soups, stews, sauces, and more. It has been years since I bought a can of tomatoes in the grocery store.

Bring a pot of water to boil to blanch the tomatoes. At the same time, bring the canner pot to a boil with quart jars in it to sterilize them. Wash the tomatoes and drop in the boiling water until the skin breaks, 2-3 minutes, then drop into cold water. Remove the skin and pack the tomatoes into the hot jars. Run a knife around the inside of the jar several times to remove any air. Top with 1 t salt and 2 T lemon juice. Add the lids and rims and can for 45 minutes in a hot water bath.

The best sound for a canner is the sound of the lids sealing when you are finished. Success. Next up for me this weekend are bread and butter pickles and pickled beets. It's canning season!

Trout with Caper Artichoke sauce

By Perry Washburn

On the first real day of Carolyn's vacation (we are hosting visitors at home), we were looking for fast, but good, food. On a late store run, we spied some decent looking trout. Now, what to do with it? I remembered I had an open jar of artichokes in olive oil, and decided to go tart/lemony with the sauce. This was easy, and very, very good.

1 lb trout filets
sea salt
paprika
1/2 cup artichoke hearts in olive oil (chop the hearts, save the oil)
2 Tbs capers, diced
1 Tbs flour
2 Tbs lemon thyme
1 Tbs lemon juice
3 Tbs dry white wine
fresh cracked black pepper
lemon slices
3 Tbs chopped cilantro

I first pulled the artichokes out of the oil, and diced them. After washing and patting dry the fish, I rubbed the filets, cut side and skin side both, with oil from the artichokes. Then sprinkled them with a mixture of sea salt and paprika (I used smoked paprika).

In a small sauce pan, I added 2 Tbs of remaining oil from the artichoke jar, and got it hot. I added a Tbs flour to make a mild roux-like mixture, stirring that for a couple of minutes. To his I added the chopped artichokes, capers, lemon juice, lemon thyme from my herb garden, 3 Tbs dry white wine and black pepper. I brought this to a boil, then reduced the heat and cooked it for a couple of minutes more until it was thickening just a bit.

I grilled the trout, skin side down, until it was almost done, then carefully turned it to brown the cut side. I removed it to a platter, cut it into portions, topped each piece with hot sauce and a liberal dusting of chopped cilantro. Lemon slices garnished the serving platter.

Mango and Lychee Salad

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
  
A huge birthday box of mangos and lychees arrived from Dave this week--picked in his yard. And we had our Thursday dinner potluck and I guessed that no one else would be bringing anything with mangos and lychees. I was right. And this was a hit!

This salad evolved as I was preparing it. I began with cutting 3 mangos into 1" chunks. Next came peeling a handful of lychees and cutting into small chunks.

But what next? I need to balance the color, textures, and flavors so I went to the garden and came back with a small red and yellow onion. Those were chopped and added to the fruit.

It still needed more. Two small cucumbers were chopped and added. The cukes were the finishing touch as far as color, crunch and flavor.  I didn't have a red pepper--that would have been perfect.

Next came the dressing: I tossed it with sherry vinegar and olive oil, about 3 T vinegar and 1/3 olive oil.  I added salt, pepper and some hot Serbian paprika for a bit of heat.  It was still missing something. So back to the garden for a huge handful of cilantro. Perfect! 

3 mangos, chopped into 1" pieces
6 lychees nuts, cut in 1/2 (or use canned lychees, or just skip the lychees)
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 small or 1 medium cuke cut into chunks
3 T sherry vinegar
1/3 c olive oil
salt  and pepper
a dash of something for heat: Penzey's black and red, hot paprika, cayenne
3 T chopped fresh cilantro













 

Bacon Wrapped Tilapia with Grilled Corn

By Perry Washburn

Sunday, snoozy, not looking for much effort. Pulled some Tilapia out of the freezer, thinking of frying it. I am heading toward minimum effort.

Carolyn walks through and says "let's grill." Yikes. Me with no mojo, and Tilapia is not the best grilling fish. But, hey, I am game, and it's nice outside. So here is what I had in my fridge....good and easy. And I remembered I had 8 ears of corn leftover (still in husks) from Friday.

8 ears of fresh corn
Butter
Salt
Foil

4 Tilapia fillets
5 spice powder
8 slices of bacon
2 Tbs of sour cream
2 Tbs Salsa Verde
2 Tbs green onion diced fine
2 Tbs fresh Cilantro

I peeled the husks back on the corn and pulled off the silks. I squirted each ear with a little butter and salt, replaced the husks, and wrapped each in foil. I put those on the grill, turning frequently, for 20-25 minutes, until I could smell the husks steaming.

While those were grilling, I  sprinkled 5 spice powde (a Chinese staple) on the filets. Then I wrapped each filet with two strips of bacon, barber-pole-stripe style, so the bacon was touching. I tucked the ends of the bacon back under the next wrap, so I ended up the entire fish covered. This solved my worries about the fish flaking when turning, because it was totally encased in bacon.

When the corn was done, I pulled them to let them cool a bit, and put the fish on the grill. They took 4-5 minutes a side on a fairly slow grill, turning when the bacon was getting crispy.

While the fish was grilling, I whipped up a topping with the sour cream, Salsa Verde, onion and cilantro, saving 4 pinches of cilantro back to sprikle on top.

We were eating outside, so I pulled the hot fish off the grill onto plates, topped with a dollop of sauce and a sprinkle of cilantro, aside a steaming ear of grilled corn still in the husk.

Fresh, fun, good and fast!

Baked Pita Chips

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

A friend left me with a large bag of pita bread so I decided to do something different with them: baked pita chips. I have tried the store bought ones and love them although they are a bit pricey--worth it, though.  These took about 15 minutes start to finish.

Cut pita bread into 8 pie shaped pieces. Place them on a baking sheet. One baking sheet will hold about 16 pita pieces.  For this recipe, I used 2 large pita bread loaves to make 16 pita chips.

In a small bowl, mix together:

1/4 c olive oil
salt and pepper
dash of cayenne
1/4 t thyme

With a pastry brush, brush the oil mixture on the pita pieces. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are browned.  Store in an airtight container--if there are any left to store!

Lemon Sorbet

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner


Wow. What a spectacular dessert. I had a taste in my mouth for lemon sorbet and I had not made this before. I picked up 4 lemons on the way home and juiced them. This gave me 1 1/4 c of lemon juice so to that I added equal parts of water and sugar.

I brought to a simmer:
1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c water

While it was coming to a boil, I juiced the lemons and cut off 4 one-inch pieces of lemon zest and then zested another 1 1/4 T.  I added the one inch pieces of zest to the water/sugar mix as it was warming up. Note the proportions: 1 1/4 c water, juice, sugar and 1 1/4 T lemon zest. So if you have more or less juice, match it with these proportions.

I chilled the water/sugar/zest pieces mixture and also the freshly squeezed juice and zest. Once they were chilled, I blended them together, removing the 1" pieces, and put it into an ice cream machine. 20 minutes later, I had a thick sorbet which I put into a container and then into the freezer.

The flavor in this sorbet: spectacular! And easy, too.....

I chilled both the squeezed juice mixed with the zest.

Asparagus and Bacon Quiche

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

We were in the mood for something different for dinner. Marty mentioned breakfast for dinner when I'd been thinking about quiche all day. I brought in a large handful of aspargus from the garden so a bacon and asparagus quiche was dinner.  Simple and outstanding.

Of course, I used a homemade pie crust for this! I made the single crust and stuck it in the fridge to chill while the bacon was cooking.  This went together easily.

1 single pie crust: put it in a pie plate and bake at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes

3/4 lb bacon, cooked until just beginning to crisp and cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 c diced asparagus
1 med onion, diced
4 eggs
1 c milk
3/4 t paprika
1 1/2 c grated white cheddar cheese (which is what I had and it was outstanding in this)

Beat together the eggs, milk, paprika and salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the crust from the oven and add the asparagus and onion. Top with the bacon, cheese and egg milk mix.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Paella!

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Do you think that Spanish paella and Cajun jambalaya have similarities?  A variety of meats, spices, rice--yes, they are similar.

Here is a wikipedia definition of paella:  Paella originated in the mid 19th century area of Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. There are three widely known types of paella: Valencian, Seafood, and Mixed. Valencian paella consists of white rice, green vegetables, meat (rabbit, chicken, duck), snails, beans, and seasoning.

Seafood paella replaces meats and snails with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. Mixed paella is a free-style combination of meat, seafood and sometimes bean. Key ingredients are olive oil and saffron.

The version I created this week is a mixed paella. I used chicken breasts and chorizo.  I intended to use shrimp as well but discovered I didn't have any in the freezer. Without the shrimp, the paella was excellent.

In a large paella pan or cast iron skillet, or non stick skillet if that is what you have, saute for 1-2 minute:

2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped

Add to the skillet and saute for another minute:

4 T minced garlic

Add to the skillet and saute into the meat begins to brown:

3/4 lb of boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts, whatever you have, cut into chunks
1/2 lb of chopped chorizo

Add to the skillet:

1/2 c of Bomba, Arborio or Valencian rice--don't use traditional rice, the dish will be too gummy

Next add:

1 qt chopped, canned tomatoes, drained
1 c frozen peas
2 c chicken broth
1/4 t saffron threads
1 1/2 t paprika--try this with smoked paprika for a different taste
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Ham & Spinach Pasta

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

This recipe is such a keeper! Not only is it superb, it is oh, so simple. Looking for a last minute dinner? This is quick to fix, fancy enough to serve dinner guests or for a simple dinner at home.

I love the flavors here of the ham and the spinach. I have used ham, prosciutto, or Serrano hams in this recipe and they all are wonderful with their own unique tastes that slightly changes the flavors.

Before making the sauce, cook 1 lb of  shaped pasta--this dish works best with a short, pasta versus something like linguini.

In a saute pan, saute until the onions begin to soften:

6 T olive oil
3/4 c of chopped green onions (although I used Vidalia onions last night...yum!)
1/4 t of cayenne pepper, or Penzey's black and red, or hot paprika, or red pepper seeds

Then add 1 1/4 c of chopped ham and cook, stirring, 3-4 minutes. 

Thaw and drain:

2 packages, 10 oz each, frozen, chopped spinach

Add the spinach to the saute pan and cook 3-4 minutes over medium heat.

Add to the pan:

2 c of heavy cream

Cook 4-5 minutes until the cream begins to thicken and can coat the back of a spoon.

Add the sauce to the drained, cooked pasta, top with parmesan cheese. And hope for leftovers for lunch the next day!

Rhubarb Pie

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

There is nothing fancy about this pie: it's just rhubarb, sugar and flour in a superb crust. And I made one for a silent auction yesterday that sold for $75!!

In the last year, I have been chilling my crust before rolling it out. This makes it easy to roll out and the chilled shortening--and I have been using 1/3 c shortening with 1/3 c lard--explodes when it hits the oven's heat which makes it flaky.  I made this crust the night before, rolled it out and put it in the pie plate and added to it:

6 c chopped rhubarb
1/3 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar

The top crust was rolled and placed on top of the fruit. I baked it at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes and then at 355 degrees F for 40 minutes.  When I took it to the fund raiser, it was still hot and smelled heavenly!

Rhubarb Cream Pie

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Today was gorgeous and it was made even more so by the large handful of rhubarb I pulled from our neighbor's garden and my garden. Tonight's dessert: rhubarb cream pie!

This is a family recipe given to me by my aunt Mary Bernhardt Gottliebsen years ago. A couple of summers ago when second cousin Amy was summering with us (that's Northern Michigan speak for spending the summer), I made this pie for her because the recipe came from her Grandma. She hadn't had it before. So for Amy's Mom, Carol, who has nothing to do now since Amy got married last week--it's rhubarb season!

Cream pies are a bit more work than fruit pies. Instead of just mixing 4-6 c of fruit with sugar and flour and pouring into a pie crust, a cream pie requires first baking the crust and cooling, making the cream filling and cooling, and then making meringue and baking.  It is worth it!

Just roll out your pie dough, put in a pie pan, pierce with a fork about a dozen times, line with foil, top with a cup of dried beans (don't worry, you won't eat them), and bake at 375 until the crust is lightly brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans. Yes, you can use the beans for real bean recipes. Let the crust cool.

While the crust is in the oven, cook over medium heat and until tender:
4 c chopped rhubarb
1 sugar

While the rhubarb is simmering, mix together:
2 eggs yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 c cream
1/8 t salt
2 T cornstarch
1/4 c sugar

When the rhubarb is tender, slowly add the egg mixture, stirring constantly, and 1 T butter. Continue stirring until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Cool, stirring occasionally.

This recipe then calls for the 2 egg whites beaten with 1/4 c sugar and a pinch of cream of tartar to make a meringue. But I usually use 4 egg whites so that the meringue is thicker. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Pour the fruit mixture into the pie crust, top with the meringue and bake at 350 degrees F until the meringue is browned, about 10-15 minutes. Let it cool completely before cutting.  And then just try to not eat the whole pie in one sitting!

Parsnip Patties

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner


I am a huge fan of root vegetables. Carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, beets, turnips--all very different and very tasty.  Tonight we had sauteed veal (in garlic, chili powder and olive oil), and parsnip patties. The combination was perfect.

Many people don't know what to do with parsnips so they just don't try them. This is a wonderful recipe that would be great with beef or pork.  And it's easy.

Mix together:
4 c peeled, grated parsnips (about 2 very large ones)
1/2 c sliced green onions
3 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
a dash of cayenne pepper

Lightly beat:
2 eggs

Stir the eggs into the parsnips to evenly coat.  Heat 2-3 T of olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non stick skillet. Put 2 mounded tablespoons of the parsnip batter into the skillet and then flatten slightly with the back of a spatula. Cook 4-5 minutes and then flip the patties.  Cook until each side is evenly browned.

Line a baking sheet with paper towel. Place the patties on the baking sheet and then put into a 300 degree F oven. Continue with another batch of patties adding more olive oil. When the last batch is completed--this recipe will make 8 patties--add them to the baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.

Serve with a mixture of sour cream and horseradish. We love horseradish and grated our own last fall. I blended 1/2 c sour cream with 2 T of horseradish.

Barbecue Sauce

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

While there are some fabulous barbecue sauces on the market--and we love them--this tried and true homemade BBQ is very easy and can be adapted to any taste. Add paprika, cayenne, liquid smoke, onions, garlic, molasses, or grainy or dried mustard to this recipe and change up the flavor. I've used this basic sauce for years and it is excellent by itself as well as with "kicked up" ingredients!

In a small sauce pan, simmer over medium heat until thick, 20-30 minutes:

1 t salt
1 T chili powder (your choice of heat)
1/4 c vinegar
2 c water
1 c ketchup (good stuff with no corn syrup added)
1 t celery seed
1/4 c brown sugar

This makes about 2-2 1/2 c of BBQ sauce, depending on how thick you like it (and thus, how long it is simmered). The remainder can be refrigerated for several weeks.

Rhubarb Cobbler

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

It's rhubarb season and it so exciting to dust off the rhubarb recipes that haven't been used since last summer. The only credit I can take for this recipe is having the sense to cut it out of the newspaper in 1982! This recipe is one of Pete Peterson's, a renowned Michigan chef.

This recipe is really easy if you use a food processor. I mix the pastry in the food processor. Part of the pastry mix is blended with the rhubarb and the remainder goes on top of the fruit and drizzled with melted butter.  You will surprise people with this dessert--it is wonderful.

In a food processor (or by hand), mix together until blended:
2 c flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Add 1/3 c shortening and process until the mixture is gravelly.

In a large bowl, mix:
4-5 c rhubarb cut into 1/2" pieces
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c of the flour mixture
1 t grated lemon rind

Put the rhubarb mix in a greased 8" baking dish.

In the food processor, add to the remaining 1 1/4 c of pastry mix:
1 egg
Process until it resembles coarse meal.

Spread the  pastry mix on top of the rhubarb and drizzle with 1/4 c melted butter.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes until the top is puffed and golden brown.

Rhubarb Crisp

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Rhubarb season is a celebration in our house because it means it is spring.  Growing up, that first rhubarb pie of the season made from rhubarb grown in the garden was a major event--and oh, so tasty. 

We were in Indiana over the weekend and I made a rhubarb pie. That first bite--wow. Such an interesting taste. How did the Native Americans ever think to use rhubarb? Thank goodness they did.

We brought back rhubarb so tonight I made a rhubarb crisp. This is like a traditional crisp with fruit on the bottom and flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and melted butter on top. This is an easy recipe and one that won't last long.

Mix together and place in a greased 8 x 8" baking pan:
6 c rhubarb cut into 3/4" pieces
1/4 c flour
1/2 t cinnamon
1 1/4 c sugar

Mix together until combined well:
1 c flour
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c rolled oats (not instant!)
3/4 stick melted, cooled butter

Sprinkle the streusel topping over the rhubarb mixture and bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes.

Oatmeal--Plain and Simple

By Kathyrn Washburn Breighner

I was in the cereal aisle of the grocery store--one of my rare dips away from the outside areas of the store that feature fresh foods--and I saw someone purusing the instant oatmeal packages. Now the good news is that this was a teacher and she was carefully reading the labels. Have you ever read the label of the instant oatmeals? Can you even pronounce what's in it? 

We grew up in a household san chemicals.  No preserved foods of any kind.  Other than an occasional Campbell's soup, there were no packaged potatoes, no jars of gravy or pasta sauce, no already prepared anything. Mom made it from scratch. Including oatmeal.

A favorite childhood food memory is camping with my Aunt Dottie and Uncle Gene. Gene rose early every a.m. and when cousin Susie and I returned from an early morning hike to some place where we probably shouldn't have been, there was a pot of thick, steel cut oats on the campstove. We topped it with brown sugar or maple syrup. A piece of heaven to start the day.

I begin most days with oatmeal. It's filling, great complex carbohydrates and fiber. And it tastes great! Lately, my morning begins with old fashioned oatmeal--rolled oats, no quick, no instant with chemicals.  I don't how long it takes to prepare the instant oatmeal in the package since I'd never buy it, so maybe 2 minutes?

Well, I make a bowl of old fashioned rolled oats in 5 minutes. And it tastes like real oatmeal! Easy: put 3/4 c of oatmeal in a bowl, add 1 1/4 c water, a dash of salt, and cinnamon or raisins or dried cranberries.  Microwave for 5 minutes at 60% power--so slower than as if you were were boiling water in the microwave  at full power.

For steel cut oats, I often do the cheat method: 1 c of steel cut oats, 4 c of water and a dash of salt and left on the stove--not cooked--over night. In the morning, I warm up the mixture, stirring, for about 10 minutes. This makes a large batch so the extra goes in the refridgerator and can be easily warmed in the microwave another day.

Spinach Cream Sauce

By Perry Washburn

This is the sauce I made for my gnocchi, below. A lot like an Alfredo, this is a multipurpose sauce that has enough style to work in many situations. I made it first, without the brie (one of my pals can do cream but not cheese) for gnocchi. I added the brie for later attempts. I added some fresh shrimp at the end of the cooking and made this a pizza topping (covered wth aged Gouda!). Yum! And, I used leftovers from that as omlet filling the next day.

2 cups chopped spinach
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup cream
2 1/2 ounces creme de brie (a spreadable brie)
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/2-1 tsp paprika
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add cream and brie, stirring until smooth Add remaining ingredients and saute until spinach is wilted.

Melt-in-your-mouth Gnocchi

By Perry Washburn

This must be the season for gnocchi! I offered a Cajun dinner for a silent auction a year ago, but when the payoff came in late January, it had become an Italian feast. The hosts and I had enjoyed fairly recent trips to Italy, and our host mentioned her love for the gnocchi there. I had not ever made it, but did some quick study.

There appear to be two camps on gnocchi: make a fairly conventional dough, with plenty of flour (see Kathie's below), or make a dough that has only enough dough in it to hold it together. I decided to try the latter. The result is a very different process than Kath describes below (I'm sure hers are great; here's a different product.)

I altered a Bon Appetit recipe, made a cream sauce, made them for the first time for my paid dinner for 12. They were the hit of the party. As one guest said, "They melt in your mouth!" I made them again for a friend's birthday a couple of weeks ago, and daughter Madina requested them for her birthday dinner yesterday.

Note: Because this is a SOFT dough, this is probably not for the faint of heart.

I started with 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes. Wash, stick with a fork, and microwave for 8-10 minutes until they are done.

As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel and rice them one at a time. (There is a school of thought that it helps the end product to work with hot potatoes.) As I have no ricer or food mill, I forced these through my sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. This is HARD work, but I like the texture. This will yield about 6 cups of potatoes. To this, add:

1 whole egg and one yolk, beaten
1 tsp of coarse salt
1/2 tsp or so of fresh ground nutmeg

Mix that well, then add 1 cup of all purpose flour, continuing to add flour until this becomes a dough. This should not take 2 cups total. Move to a well floured board and knead in additional flour just until this is firm enough to work with. I doubt there is 3 cups total flour.

I cut the dough into 12 equal parts, and gently rolled each on the floured surface into a long rope 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Because the dough is soft, be careful here. I discovered that by just maintaining contact with the rope, and spreading my fingers as I rolled, I got just the right results. If your work surface is not as wide as mine (24x18), you may have to start with smaller pieces of dough as the rope gets long quickly.

Cut the dough rope into 3/4 inch pieces. When they are all cut, roll them on the back of a fork to make the indentations. This would be very hard to explain, in text, how to do. I suggest searching youtube; you'll find a couple of videos there that will make sense.

Cook in a large pot of rapidly boiling water in 5-6 batches. Wait until they float, and then perhaps 10-15 seconds more. Remove to your skillet of already prepared sauce. I have not tried to find a method to freeze these. They are VERY delicate, however, and do not fare well piled on top of each other in a bowl.

But, turned in they right sauce (see my Spinach Cream sauce above), these truly are to die for.

Almond Float

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

Years ago when we were newly married, I took a Chinese cooking class in Lansing, Michigan. Some of the things I learned in that class have stayed with me to this day. And one of them is this wondefully simple and unusual dessert--almond float.

Basically, almond float is white almond flavored gelatin topped with almond flavored sugar water and mandarin oranges. This dessert is so much fun to serve because guests are completely taken back by white jello! I really love this dessert and have a hard time not opening the fridge and stealing chunks of the gelatin to munch on.

What makes it white? Milk! Yes, milk, and if you tell your guests this jello is made with milk versus fruit juice, expect some hesitation!! 

In a 9 x 9" cake pan, mix and let stand for 5 minutes:
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2/3 c cold water

Add in and stir until gelatin dissolves:
1 1/4 c boiling water
2/3 c sugar

Stir in and mix well:
2 T almond extract---real almond only--no fake stuff!
3/4 c milk

Refrigerate the gelatin for several hours until firm. While it is chilling, mix together:
1/4 c sugar
2 C water
1/4 t almond extract

To serve, cut the gelatin into squares (and just try not to eat a few squares while you do this!) and place in a bowl. Top with 1/3 c almond water and 3T chilled mandarin oranges.
Delightful!